Written by Will Brinson at CBS Sports.com
The Indianapolis Colts find themselves, for the second straight year, on the list of teams expected to bounce back and make a run at the playoffs. The Colts had the AFC South on lockdown for a long time but have ceded control to the Houston Texans for the last two seasons. Last season they found themselves in third place behind Houston and Tennessee Titans.
The biggest reason for this was an injury to Andrew Luck, one that the Colts allowed to linger for nearly two years before the quarterback had surgery on his shoulder.
Most NFL teams are not built to sustain major injuries to star quarterbacks. But the Colts’ construction is particularly dangerous under Luck as it was when Peyton Manning ran the show. Manning missed the entire 2010 season after multiple, multiple neck surgeries and the Colts cratered, winning just two games and securing the No. 1 pick that would net them Luck and a fortunate franchise reboot.
When Luck has been hurt, the Colts have not been as bad, but he also hasn’t missed a truly extended stretch of time with his myriad injuries. Indy was also fortunate that Matt Hasselbeck guzzled a gallon of water from the fountain of youth prior to the 2015 season, helping the team stay afloat with Luck playing in just seven games.
Last season Luck played in 15 games but his effectiveness was severely limited. That he topped 4,000 passing yards and 30 touchdowns while battling a shoulder injury that should have been operated on the offseason prior is a testament to his skillset.
Back to the problem on hand: Luck is still hurt.
The Colts announced Tuesday Luck would begin the team’s training camp on the physically unable to perform list, which is not a thing you ever want a star player placed on. Hitting the PUP list hardly means that Luck won’t be ready for the start of the season, but it at least brings his availability into question.
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